Songbird
by waiting-for-you443
Summary: When Kairi is laid off from her job, she needs to find a new one fast. Who knew that new job would be singing in a bar called Songbird, run by the mysterious Riku and adventurous Sora. However, Kairi and Sora's chemistry might not be limited to the stage. A story of life, love, and growing up.
1. Chapter 1

It started small. First, our hours were cut. This was the beginning of the end for the employees of Pizza Hut. Then, we weren't allowed to cover anyone else's shifts anymore. Finally, one by one, we were called into the store manager's office. The night you were called into the office would be the last night any one would see you around the store. The company was laying off its workforce. The manager wouldn't tell us as much, but we knew what was happening all the same.

The first to go was a mousy girl with long, dull brown hair named Millie. She got down to four hours a week before our store manager, Bill, took her into the office and shut the door. We never saw her again. The next was her best friend, Chelsea; a red-head with a hot temper. She made lots of noise, complaining about the outrage, but her screams fell on deaf ears. After she left, they changed the code to the back door. When the third victim, a sixteen year old boy with a bad case of acne, got the pink slip, my friend turned to me, slightly terrified.

"What do you think, Kairi? Are we next?" she asked, shaking. I wanted to reassure her, but I just didn't have the heart to lie. Our store was not in a prime location, and we weren't getting a whole lot of business. I ran a hand through my red pony tail and sighed. She simply shook her head and walked away.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, I was sitting around with my remaining work friends when Bill walked over to me, a solemn look on his face. I knew what was coming before he even called me into the office. I walked in silently, my head held high, and tried desperately to keep my face emotionless as he gave me the spiel.

"Listen, Kairi. Business hasn't been good recently, and due to budget cuts and poor profits, we've been forced to let certain people go." He sighed before continuing. "I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this, but your name has appeared on the list. Please turn in your apron and hat, and I will personally see to it that your paycheck for this pay period gets into your bank account."

I closed my eyes for a few moments, taking a deep breath and holding it. I needed something to hold onto. When I began to feel light-headed I released it, opening my eyes and smiling softly. I just couldn't be angry at poor Bill, who had to let so many dedicated employees go so quickly.

"I understand completely. Thank you for the opportunity—" My voice began to shake, and I swallowed to keep myself from crying. Taking another breath, I soldiered on. "Can I count on you to be a positive reference for future jobs?"

"Of course! Kairi, I'll do anything I can to help you get a new job. It may not be much, but I'll sing your praises from the heavens!" Bill really had always been a sweet man.

"Thank you," I said, taking off my apron and hat and setting them on the table. I turned to take my leave and opened the door to a group full of disappointed faces. I gave them my best attempt at a smile.

"Don't worry, guys! I'll come back to visit—promise!" I reassured them cheerfully. In the back of my mind, the same question kept repeating: What am I going to do now? I lived 45 minutes away from the college I attended, and I worked—used to work—30 minutes away from home. That was too much gas to burn to not have a job. I managed to keep myself calm until I knew my car was out of eye-shot, till I fell to pieces. I cried the whole way home, and then some in my mother's lap. My father sat glaring at the wall—even being the mayor's daughter didn't save me from the cruel reality of a failing business. After I had ended my pity party, I decided to spend the entire next day looking for a new job. This would not destroy me. I sat down with my twin sister, Namine, and we came up with a game plan. We would walk the streets, asking any business that would listen for a job. We both fell asleep feeling confident.

The next day—Saturday—destroyed that confidence. No one was hiring, and even if they were, they didn't seem to believe that I was just randomly laid off. We tried fast food restaurants, coffee shops, book stores…any place that would take a part-timer. They all had an excuse: _All the positions are filled. We aren't hiring right now. We're only looking for full-time managers._ By the end of the day, Namine and I were about ready to give up. She had to head off to her own job, so I said good bye to my sister and continued on my own. There had to be _somewhere_ willing to speak to me. As I passed a small bar, I heard a huge commotion come from inside. I stopped and was about to open the front door when it swung wide open, almost smacking me in the face.

"I've had enough, Riku! I won't let any of those dogs you two call _customers_ ogle me any longer!" a shrill voice yelled over her shoulder. She was a petite girl with orangeish-brown hair that flipped out at the bottom and pale green eyes, which glittered with anger.

"They may not ogle so much if you'd wear more clothing," I heard a bored voice call from inside. The girl wore a tight-fitting white tank top and skinny jeans—a heavy coat hanging off her shoulders—with cowboy boots. I had to admit, whoever the voice was (I assumed it was probably Riku), had a point. The girl made one of the most hilariously offended looks and turned on the ball of her foot, but didn't get a chance to take a step before someone grabbed her arm.

"Please, Selphie, don't go. We need you on stage tonight. You're our only female soloist, and you know that we need you more than you need us," a brown-haired man with pleading blue eyes reasoned. His words sounded too perfect—too rehearsed. I guessed Selphie walked out on this man a lot. It wasn't just his words that caught my attention, however. From the moment I laid eyes on this man, he fascinated me. He had spiky brown hair that stood up at all ends, yet swayed in the breeze, not locked into place by gel or hairspray. His skin was tanned and smooth, not a blemish in sight, and he had a baby-face, although his features were sharp and slender. If I had to guess, he couldn't have been a day over nineteen. He wore a black t-shirt with a slightly stretched collar (which clung to his well-defined torso) and a pair of faded blue jeans (which were slightly bagging on his skinny waist). He'd managed to throw on a light coat as he ran out the door. A silver crown hung from his neck on a chain. Black combat boots completed the look. To put it into simple terms, this man wasn't good-looking—he was gorgeous.

"Sora, if I've told you once I've told you a _hundred times!_ Find yourself a new soloist. I don't want to be the only one anymore!" the girl's, Selphie's, voice broke my reverie and reminded me of the situation. My face lit up bright red and I looked down for a moment, relieved he hadn't seemed to have noticed me yet.

"Let her go, Sora. She'll be back," the voice from inside drawled. Selphie glared in his general direction.

"You're not helping, Riku!" Sora called back, loosening his grip on Selphie. She took her opportunity and yanked her arm from his grasp.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really leaving. Good luck, Sora. You're going to need it with _him_ managing." With that, Selphie flicked her hair over her shoulder and strode off. Sora looked dejected at the ground for a moment before his face lit up, and he took off inside. In my shock I almost completely forgot I was still holding the door. Getting my bearings, I shook my head slightly and followed him inside. I felt kind of bad for thinking it, but Selphie leaving was actually really convenient for me, as it meant that they had a new job opening. I wasn't 100% sure what Selphie did, but I was sure I could learn how to do it pretty quickly.

The bar was a homey little place. It was filled with dark reds and bright blues; two colors you wouldn't think go together but somehow complement each other perfectly. There was a piano in the corner with a tiny stage, perfect for live acts. There was a long counter lined with alcohol on one side and stools on the other. Behind the alcohol was a mirrored wall, and in front of it, but behind the counter was a tall man with shoulder-length, layered silver hair and piercing teal eyes. He wore a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was wiping down a beer glass and looking at Sora, who chattered on at an amazing rate. I wondered if the man was even listening. By how fast Sora was talking, I was inclined to think not.

I stepped a little farther into the bar and cleared my throat. Nothing happened. I cleared it a little louder. Still nothing. Not quite accustomed to being ignored, I went with a different approach.

"Excuse me," I said, trying to maintain my polite-company voice. I wasn't anything if not cordial. Neither man even glanced at me. I was getting severely annoyed. Losing the last ounce of my patience, I took a deep breath and just about bellowed, "HEY!"

Both men stopped to look at me in complete surprise. My face glowed red, and I kept waiting for one of them to glare or scold me, but the complete opposite happened. They broke out into a roar of laughter.

"All right, little lady, you have our attention," the silver-haired man, Riku, said, wiping a tear from his eye, "though you look a little young to be hanging out in a place like this. What can we do you for?" I cleared my throat and spoke in my best business voice.

"I seemed to have noticed one of your employees quit earlier, and was wondering if her position had already been filled." I reached into my tote bag, pulling out a slip of paper. "I have a resume already printed out if you would like to look at it—"

"This is perfect! Practically a god-send!" Sora shouted, interrupting me. Riku gave him a look.

"Sora…" he began, but his friend wasn't listening. He was focused completely on me.

"Come on, Riku, you know this is too perfect to pass up!"

"How old is she? Why is she looking in a bar for work? Does she have another job? These are things we need to know before hiring someone." Sora opened his mouth in a quick retort, but I spoke up before him.

"Eighteen, about to turn nineteen in a month and a half. No one else will hire me. I was laid off last night, so no." Both men fell silent before Sora erupted into more laughter.

"I told you, she's perfect! She'll fit in just fine." He turned to me. "Welcome to Songbird. I have two very important questions for you." He held up one finger. "Number one, can you sing?"

"Sure," I answered, not wanting to brag, and praying he wouldn't ask me to.

"Perfect. And two, when can you start?"

"As soon as you need me." Something flashed in Sora's eyes—a childish mischief—and he smirked at me.

"Great. Aerith! Yuffie! Get her to the dressing room. We have a soloist!" At that, a small, black-haired girl with a pixie cut and a tall, brown-haired girl with her hair in a ponytail took me to a back room and helped me get changed. As they chatted excitedly together all I could think was _Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

**_Hey, y'all! I'm back! I figured I'd try out a new fandom to write for, and this story just wouldn't leave my head. I'm going to see how you guys like it, and if you want to read more, I'll write more. Let me know, ok? Thanks a bunch, guys. :)_**


	2. Chapter 2

It all happened so fast. One minute I was talking to two men inside a warm bar, the next I was dressed in a nice blouse and was up on stage. The previously empty bar was filling up with patrons, most of which were men. It wasn't until I noticed everyone staring at me expectantly that I realized I was up _on stage_, needing to _do_ something. I glanced around, looking for help, and watched Sora walk up slowly and take a seat at the grand piano on my right.

"What am I supposed to do?" I whispered, hoping no one could hear me.

"Sing."

"Sing what?" I asked, becoming exasperated.

"What do you know? You need something good. Really get their attention." I contemplated this for an instant before I had an idea.

"Do you know 'Spell' by Marie Digby?" I questioned quietly. A small smile spread across Sora's face as he began to play the opening bridge. My mouth turned up into a smile of its own when I heard my first note buried expertly in between the notes. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and began my song.

_"Spotlight shining brightly…on my face…"_ All of the chatter in the room stopped. As I continued my song, I cast a spell on my audience. The whole room seemed to hold its breath. Just like in the song, I couldn't see a thing, but I could _feel_ everyone's eyes on me. Eventually, I closed my eyes for good and let the song carry me, sweeping me off my feet.

As the song ended, the room fell into a heavy silence. I opened my eyes to see everyone in the room sporting side eyes and gaping mouths. Afraid I'd messed up somehow, I shifted to get off the stage. This seemed to break the spell, and the audience erupted into a roar of applause. Some even stood up, almost spilling their drinks. My blue eyes widened in surprise and I looked to my accompanist. I needed reassurance that all of this was real. His toothy grin answered my unspoken question. We stood up and bowed together before Sora escorted me to the back. That's when I heard it:

"Encore! Encore! Encore!" the audience chanted, clapping. My legs almost gave out from the sheer joy I was feeling. Sora was practically carrying me by then. When we got backstage, Aerith brought me a glass of water and Sora fanned my face, trying to cool me down. I was feverish and sweaty, and I loved it. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, making me shake like a leaf, but I wanted more. After a few minutes of sitting down, I began to regain my composure, and a huge smile broke out across my face. My excited shaking had slowed down, but hadn't ceased. I wanted nothing more than to be back on stage, singing along to Sora's piano. I looked up from my lap just in time to see Riku come through the door.

"Who's entertaining?" Sora inquired, suddenly acting like a respectable bar-owner.

"What's your name?" Riku asked me, ignoring his question completely. Sora's brow creased, and a grimace marred his face.

"Who's entertaining?" he asked louder, demanding Riku's attention. The silver-haired man sighed, acknowledging his business partner for the first time.

"Selphie came back, just like I said she would." His annoyed expression faded to one of awe as he turned back to me. "What's your name, kid?"

"Uh, Kairi Swan, sir," I muttered intelligently, still shaking and smiling. He grinned.

"Liked that, did you?" I nodded enthusiastically. "Well, get used to it. My name's Riku Lackland, and that's Sora Skylark. Welcome to the team."

And that's how I got the best job in the entire world.

* * *

_**Ok, so this chapter is really short, but I might go back and add more to it. On another note, you'll notice I changed the first chapter. Or maybe you didn't. Whatever. Anyway, for those paying attention, I changed the time of year. I have some ideas for the Christmas season, but I needed Kairi to be more established as part of the team before then.**_

_**On another note, wow this story took off fast! I wasn't expecting nearly as many of you to read it the first night, and that gave me the encouragement I needed to write the second chapter. So, thank you to all who favorited, followed, and reviewed. It definitely keeps me writing. So, stay tuned, because I plan on seeing this story through.**_


	3. Chapter 3

"What's your favorite color and why?" Sora asked, looking at me over the mug he was polishing. I'd been working as a soloist at the Songbird Bar and Grill for a week, and had begun coming in early to help my two new favorite people prepare to open for the night crowd. Sora, Riku, and I would sit around, polish cups and silverware, and talk. Riku was more interested in my degree and intelligence, while Sora was more concerned about who I was as a person. My favorite times were the games of 20 questions the two of us would get into.

"Pink and white. And before you tell me white's not a color, save your breath, because it is to me." Sora's grin widened.

"Why?"

"They symbolize innocence and love, which is something I think no one has enough of," I explained, blushing slightly. If there was one thing I hated, it was talking about myself. Trying to redirect the conversation, I turned back to Sora. "What about you, tough guy?"

Even though I had only been working at the Songbird for a week, I had learned a lot about my coworkers and employers. Yuffie was Riku's sixteen year old cousin who had moved in with him and Sora after she had a big fight with her mom over her 19 year old boyfriend, Leon. Aerith was a 22 year old mother of twins. She and her husband, Cloud, lived in a townhouse a block away. He came to pick her up every night with their 3 year old daughters Yuna and Rikku. Cloud was in the army, and was using his pension to send Aerith back to college. Selphie was a 19 year old music major over at the university I went to, but because I was a Communications major, I never saw her on campus. She dreamed of one day opening for greats like Madonna and Cher.

Riku was a bit of a mystery. He was 22, had a Bachelor of Arts in Business, owned a bar, and lived with Sora and Yuffie in the apartment above it. He was the brains behind the whole operation. He managed finances, ordered supplies, hired employees, and made business deals. He doubled as the bartender. As far as I could tell, he was single. According to Sora, he had a problem with people, so he found dating a little difficult. While Aerith was our Mama Bear, Riku was definitely our Papa Wolf. He made Yuffie and I spend our breaks doing homework, and would magically appear if someone was hitting on any one of us.

If Riku was a mystery, Sora was an open book. He was playful, sarcastic, and innocent. Unlike my previous guess, he was a 21 year old recently graduate from college with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. On the outside, he seemed dumb and childish. But on the inside, he was an enigma. While Riku handled the business side of things, Sora was in charge of the customer service aspect. Someone had been waiting for their food for more than 30 minutes? Go get Sora. Selphie was being a diva and threatening to quit _again_? Sora was right behind her, compliments and pleas falling from his lips. A song that just played reminded someone of their best friend's boyfriend's grandmother's husband who died in the war? Sora was right there, ready with a shoulder to cry on and a free milkshake. He was a master with people, just as Riku was a master at business. It made their dynamic all the more interesting.

"Hmmm…I'd have to say…blue," Sora finally decided, having spent the last few minutes thinking about it. "Because it's calming. There are loads of different types of blues. Dark blues. Light blues. And they all make you feel different things. I like that."

I smiled at his answer. It was so like him. When his cerulean eyes met my sapphire ones, I felt as if someone had just released a whole bunch of butterflies in my stomach. This jittery feeling made me a bit uncomfortable, and I blushed and looked away. Just then, Riku came back into the room.

"What question are you guys on?" he inquired, feeling the slight tension between the two of us.

"What's your favorite color and why," I answered, grateful for the distraction. Riku thought about it for a moment, shifting his pale teal eyes to the ceiling.

"Hmmm…I'd have to say black, because it's misunderstood. Just because something is dark doesn't make it evil." Sora contemplated this for a moment.

"I guess that's true. God, I've known you for how long and never knew your favorite color? Wow, I'm an awful best friend."

"But a great business partner. Who needs to take a phone call." There was a sudden shift in the mood. It went from light-hearted to heavy in a matter of seconds.

"Is it him?" Sora asked, wary. When Riku sighed, Sora visibly bristled. Goosebumps rose on my arms. "You guys keep playing, this'll only take a minute," Sora explained before excusing himself, the same old lazy smile playing on his lips. He ran his hand over my hair as he passed me, almost protective. It didn't help the anxious feeling that was starting to well up in my stomach, replacing the pleasant butterflies' fluttering.

"Don't worry about it, Kairi. It's just a business call," Riku reassured me as he raised himself from his chair. He cast me a small smile as he went to unlock the door for the first customers.

"Then why didn't you answer it?" I muttered, too quiet for him to hear. The question bugged me, but I decided to let it go. The next week went by without a hitch. Sora and I played more question games and Riku helped me with my homework. Thanksgiving and Black Friday passed as if I were in a dream. I prayed my happiness would last forever.

However, I would soon learn all good things must come to an end at some point.

* * *

_**Yet again, I bring you guys another very short chapter, and I'm sorry for that. However, I wanted to use this chapter as a means of creating my setting, giving backstories, and giving you guys a small introduction to the main conflict (bum bum BUUUUMMM!). I tried my best to incorporate the characters' canon personalities into their backstories, so I hope I did a good job. Also, some things I'd like to note:**_

_**Kairi: Is based very heavily on me. It's easier to write characters that way. However, I am keeping a lot of her in-game personality, so she's not going to be too out of character. Really, the only things that I used myself to create her character with were her working at Pizza Hut (I currently work at one) and her being a Communications major (that's my major at university). This makes it a little easier for me to write, as I have personal experience in these areas. Just saying.**_

_**I hope you guys are still enjoying the story, because I'm still enjoying writing it.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Sora wasn't his normal self, and it was bugging me. He was brooding. Sora never brooded. That was Riku's job. But here he was, his blue eyes troubled, a hand running through his soft brown spikes. He sat at one of the tables glaring at a pool of papers. I perched in the back corner, willing him to look up and catch me looking. He would smirk at me, I would blush, and all would be right with the world again. My heart dropped lower every second that he failed to notice me. Riku came in from the kitchen and sat down.

"What's wrong, Riku? Why is Sora so upset?" I asked, concern dripping from my voice. He sighed.

"Running a business is difficult. He'll be fine."

"I can't just sit here and watch," I mumbled, hopping off the stool. I had an idea. Smiling slightly, I went over to the jukebox in the corner and put a quarter in. Finding the song I wanted, I selected it and made my way over to Sora.

_"It's the most beautiful time of the year/Lights fill the streets spreading so much cheer…_" I sang along, catching Sora's attention. Normally, I don't listen to Justin Bieber, but I'm a sucker for catchy Christmas songs. Sora lifted one eyebrow at me, a smile playing on his lips.

"Christmas music? It's only—"

"Black Friday," I interrupted, pulling him up from his seat. I resumed my singing as we danced. He took the lead, spinning and turning me around the dining room. My singing was interrupted by giggles from both of us on numerous occasions. Sora held me close to him, leaning his head down to my ear.

_"Kiss me underneath the mistletoe,"_ he sang, and I felt my face heat up. Then he dipped me. I clung to him, trying not to fall, and in that moment, life was perfect. However, perfect moments have a habit of ending abruptly. Mine ended with the sound of the door opening.

"I'm sorry, we're not open yet," I called, a smile in my voice. The look on Sora's face made my blood run cold. He lifted me from the dip and placed himself between me and the newcomer, his eyes shooting icy daggers into him.

I followed his gaze and saw another silver-haired man. He wore a black suit, and his locks fell down to the small of his back. I didn't trust the smug grin on his face—it almost seemed evil.

"Oh, don't worry sweetheart, I'm not a patron," he crooned, looking me up and down. I felt violated.

"What are you doing here, Sephiroth?" Sora growled, moving so more of him shielded me. It was an easy feat, seeing as Sora was a whole head taller than me.

"I'm here to collect my payment." His eyes travelled back to me. "And I wanted to meet your newest employee."

This time it was Riku who spoke. "The rent isn't due until tomorrow. With tonight's profits, we'll make the payment on time."

"I own the building and I say the rent is due now," Sephiroth said, never taking his eyes off me. I shuddered under his golden gaze. Riku bristled, opening his mouth to retort, but Sora cut in.

"That's fine." He picked up his checkbook and a pen, writing out a check. He handed it to Sephiroth. "There. Now, if you don't mind, we're still getting ready to open for the customers."

I'd never seen Sora act so calm and adult. Normally he was running around laughing, playing pranks, and making the store into a happy-go-lucky place. Even when he was calming down angry customers, he had this child-like air to him. Now, however, all of that innocence was gone. He was polite, but he wasn't friendly. Sephiroth took the check.

"Thank you. You always know how to pacify me, Mr. Skylark. Though, I suppose that is your half of the bargain in this business arraignment, is it not?" He lifted an eyebrow, trying to coax a reaction out of Sora.

"I am very good at my job," Sora replied, keeping his head level. I was surprised at just how calm he remained. I didn't know Sora had the capacity to be an adult for more than a few seconds at a time, not that we didn't all love him dearly for it.

Unhappy with Sora's lack of caring, Sephiroth dipped his head, grimacing. "I'll take my leave now. See you in a month." He looked at me one last time. "I'm looking forward to our next encounter." And then he was gone, almost as swiftly as he came.

"God, I hate that man!" Sora whined, dropping the whole charade. I smiled. All was right with the world again.

"Me, too. But we have to deal with him if we want to keep the building, you know that."

"Yeah, but did you see the way he looked at Kairi? Disgusting," Sora spat. My face glowed bright red as he defended me.

"So, who was that guy? Your landlord?" He had looked familiar somehow, but I just couldn't place him.

"Nah, he just works for him," Sora explained. "He's Cloud's older brother. Now, our landlords, however, you never want to meet. They are nasty people to get mixed up with. Ansem and Xemnas are brothers working for their father, Xehanort, who own most of the businesses in this area. If we wanted to open up shop in this town, we had to do it through them." He leaned in close to me. "Everyone knows they're evil," he whispered conspiratorially. Riku rolled his eyes.

"They are not evil, Sora. No one is evil. You've been watching too many Disney movies before bed." Sora gave me an exasperated look, before rolling his own eyes and walking back over to the table.

"Well, they are if they insist on taking the rent a day early. We're going to have to wait to order more glasses for a few more days."

"Let me look at that, you go get everything on stage ready for Selphie and Kairi." Sora was more than happy to oblige.

"Seph'roth de Vil. Seph'roth de Vil. If he doesn't scare you, no evil thing will," Sora sang as he passed me. I giggled as he ruffled my hair and gave me a soft smile. As I got ready for work that night, I couldn't get Sora and Riku's predicament out of my head. They seemed to be getting enough business to even make the rent early, so why were their landlords hassling them so much? Something seemed fishy, but I decided to let it go for now. I would do some investigating of my own, under the radar. I'd find a way to keep those happy smiles on their faces, no matter what the cost. It was my mission, and I chose to accept it.

* * *

_**Good golly goodness, y'all. The chapter is done! Finally! And now we know the overall conflict of the story. And how I'm going to incorporate Ansem, Xemnas, and Xehanort. Because Ansem and Xemnas are Xehanort's heartless and nobody, respectfully, I decided to make them his kids. And because Sephiroth is the darkness in Cloud's heart, they are brothers. I know, cliche. Whatever, it's my story! Haha. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and continue reading. Thank you for all of your support. Without you guys reading and favoriting and following and reviewing, I probably wouldn't write as fast, much, or well as I do. So, for that, I thank you. :)**_

_**P.S. Bonus points to anyone who gets the references I left in there.**_


	5. Chapter 5

My investigation wasn't going so well.

No one was willing to tell me anything about Sora and Riku's landlords; out of fear or something else I didn't know. Aerith told me it was none of either of our business and Yuffie said Riku and Sora were very careful not to say anything about them in front of her at home. I tried talking to Cloud when he came to pick up Aerith one night, but the glare he fixated on me when I mentioned Sephiroth's name was enough to convince me not to ask again. Unsurprisingly, it was Selphie who held the wealth of knowledge I desired. I say unsurprisingly because everyone knew how much Selphie liked to gossip. If you were willing to listen, she was willing to share. For once, I was listening.

"So, Sora and Riku go way back, right? They've been best friends since the womb, I swear. But anyway, Sora found out about the building from Leon, who's best friends with Cloud, whose brother Sephiroth works for Xehanort and his two sons. Cloud went with Sora and Riku, and together all of them worked out all the details to Sora and Riku could rent and eventually buy the building from Xehanort. Everything was cool up until about three months ago when Sephiroth showed up and started harassing Sora about payments. It was brutal. They went into another room, and didn't come out for an hour. Sora took it kinda personal. He's been trying to beat those guys ever since it happened. But anyway, ever since, Riku has been trying to resolve the whole issue from behind the scenes, while Sora is willing to take them on right then and there, producing the money they ask for even when he knows he can't afford it. I overheard Riku getting on to him for cutting into his personal funds to pull it off. There was lots of yelling." I swear, Selphie let the whole story go in one breath. I was gasping just from listening to her.

While Selphie's story had been immensely helpful, it still didn't answer one burning question: what was Xehanort's problem with Sora, and what had happened between him and Sephiroth? I didn't even bother asking Selphie, knowing that if she knew, she'd already have told me. I was contemplating all of this when Sora came to sit in the booth across from me.

"Stop digging," he said, his tone strict. I looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. He held my gaze, glaring into my eyes.

"Tell me what Xehanort's major malfunction is and I will," I retorted. Sora kept his eyes locked on mine for a few moments longer before the angry look fell from his face and he sighed.

"It has nothing to do with you, Kairi. I promise. I'm handling it. Let me handle it," he almost begged. His hands were bunched into fists on the table, and his eyes were squeezed shut. I could see him holding in the anger he didn't want to take out on me. I took his fists into my hands and held them tight, trying to reach this man's heart.

"I can help you," I coaxed, concern glittering in my eyes. It physically hurt to see him like this. Most of me was worrying about the kind, beautiful man in front of me, but part of me was confused. Yeah, we'd really hit it off when I started working at the bar, and yeah, in the past week or so something felt different between us, but I shouldn't have been hurting this much. I put the thought in the back of my mind to be contemplated later. It didn't matter right now.

Sora's eyes softened, and he cupped my face with one of his hands. "Thank you. If I need you, I'll let you know." He then did something completely out of left field. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. My face lit up like the fourth of July and my gaze immediately fell to the table. I heard Sora chuckle before getting up and walking into the kitchen.

"Kairi! You need to get ready, sweetie!" Selphie called from backstage, startling me. I jumped up from my seat, smashing my legs on the table, and limped over to her. She laughed as she greeted me, walking over to the rack of costumes to pick out my outfit. "You've got it bad."

"What do you mean?" I asked, rubbing the pain from the tops of my thighs. They were going to bruise later.

"For Sora. You've been bitten." This confused me even more.

"Bitten? By what?"

Selphie let her eyes droop as she glanced over her shoulder at me. "By the _love bug_," she crooned. MY face heated up all over again.

"I—I have not! The—there's no way! He's my boss! He's—"

"Only 21," Selphie finished. "And likes you, too. A lot." This caught my attention.

"What? How could you even know that?"

She rolled her eyes. "Honey, he's always staring at you. And Riku picks on him about you. All of the time. And he reacts."

"Reacts?"

"Yeah, you know, gets defensive. He waves his arms all dramatically, covers Riku's mouth, and looks around to make sure you're not around. He's even happier when you're around, if you can believe it. Trust me, kiddo. He's got it just as bad."

For some weird reason, the thought of Sora liking me made me extremely happy. I put that feeling away, too, to be thought about later. Thinking about it on stage would mess me up. It was a good thing I put all of my thoughts about Sora (I'd been having a lot of them lately) away because a few songs that I didn't know very well were requested that night. On my way home from work, I began to think about all the things that I had put off that day. I'd heard nothing new about Xehanort, so I skipped over those. That left Sora.

Sora. What did I think about Sora? Why did it hurt so bad to see him upset? Why had I been so happy when he kissed my forehead, or when Selphie told me he liked me? For that matter, why was I always happier when he was around, and slightly depressed whenever he left the room? Why did I get angry when other girls hit on him or asked for his number? The answer to all of these questions hit me like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind from my lungs. I liked Sora. Like, _really _liked him. I'm not going to be one of those dumb girls who says "Oh em gee, guys! I'm totally in luv with him!1!1!", but it was true that I liked him. I wanted to get to know him better. I fell asleep that night, feeling better than I had in a long time. I dreamed of Sora, and defeating his evil landlord with a sword in the shape of a key, then using that key to unlock his heart. The charm on that key gave me an idea, and when I got up the next morning, I began my little project.

* * *

_**So now y'all know the issue with Sephiroth, Xehanort, Ansem, Xemas, and Sora. I'm not very good at mysteries, so sorry if the reveal was really quick. Also, I'd like to address Sora and Kairi's relationship. Just because Kairi realizes she likes him doesn't mean they get a relationship upgrade just yet. Romance isn't the main plot of the story, so I figured I could make them getting together easy. I just don't know how long it will take to actually get them together yet.**_

_**Next, I'd like to once again thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, and PMed me. Sorry if I don't get back to you, my life is a little bit busy. Haha. I'd like to get back to a few people right here, in case anyone else had the same questions.**_

_**Sepha Fanfics: I never even thought about incorporating the real Ansem (Ansem the Wise) into the story, though it is a fantastic idea that I will be playing around with in the future. Thank you. :)**_

_**Rivendell101: I'm so glad you are enjoying it and that I exceeded your expectations. I'm always striving to do so. So, here's an extra fast update, just for you.**_

_** Sammygirl14: I'm really introvertive, too. It's why I write so much! Haha. Believe me, I wish good things could last forever, too.**_


	6. Chapter 5 (Sora's chapter)

She was doing it again. That thing she always did. It's hard to explain what exactly it is that she does, but it drives me crazy. Maybe it has to do with the way she smiles at customers, when the only person she should be smiling at is me. Or the way she moves her hips when she walks. Or the way her voice sweeps you off your feet when she sings. A hand on my shoulder caused me to cry out in surprise.

"Dude! You almost gave me a heart attack!" I practically yelled at Riku, trying to ignore the smug look on his face.

"You're pathetic," he replied. He wasn't looking at me. I followed his gaze and stopped on a slender girl with silky red hair and brilliant blue eyes. I blushed.

"Am not," I pouted, trying to look anywhere but at my employee. Riku shook his head.

"You should say something to her. Ask her out. It would make her happy, trust me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I muttered, gathering the rough draft of the menu I'd been working on until Kairi came to work. My answer pissed Riku off.

"Are you kidding? Whatever, man. But when someone else does, you can't get angry."

"Why would I? She's just my friend, Riku—our friend." But it nagged at the back of my mind. I got angry even thinking about some other guy asking her out on a date. I shook my head to rid myself of those stupid, teenage emotions. I turned my eyes back to her only to see Riku standing next to her by the jukebox. I raised an eyebrow when "Shall We Dance" from _The King and I_ came on. Both eyebrows raised when they began dancing together.

I tried to keep my boiling blood under control, but I couldn't help it. He was holding her all wrong. His hand was too low, resting right above her butt, and her other arm was way too high in the air. It was almost comical. Almost.

I really started seeing red when I saw him whisper something in her ear. She blushed bright red, glanced at me, before glancing down. Riku released her hand so he could lift her chin to look at him. She seemed to be avoiding his eyes, her mouth opening and closing as if she were babbling. My chest felt full and warm watching her. She looked so _cute_. I lifted myself from my chair as the song ended, walking over to the jukebox to choose a new one.

"May I cut in?" I asked cordially as the song began. I pulled her into my arms as the lyrics began.

_"I wish the couple on the corner would just get a room/Seems like everyone around me's on there honeymoon…"_ Hunter Hayes sang as I twirled Kairi. Her melodic laugh lifted my stomach into my throat, which would have been uncomfortable if my own laugh hadn't been bubbling out of my throat. As we continued to dance, I realized just how right it all felt. She fit into my arms perfectly. Riku was too tall—he was 6'2" while she was 5'5"—but I seemed to be the perfect height. The whole bar lightened and for a moment, all was right in with world. I looked down at my dance partner and smiled. Her hair was a soft shade of auburn and her eyes were a crystal clear blue. Her pale complexion complimented all of this. She was small—slender, and a whole head shorter than me—like a princess from a fairytale. I wanted to be her white knight. I wanted to hold her when she was scared, be the one to make her laugh, and dry her tears when she cried. These thoughts knocked the wind out of me. They only meant one thing.

As the song came to an end, both Kairi and I were reluctant to let go. We stayed wrapped in each other's arms for a few precious seconds of silence before Selphie walked through the door.

"Kairi! You need to get ready, sweetie! We open in thirty minutes!" This snapped us both out of our individual reveries, and Kairi jumped.

"C—coming!" she stuttered. Then she turned back to me. "Thank you for the dance, Sora. Let's dance again real soon!" She then kissed me on the cheek and jogged away, meeting her friend at the door. My hand raised up to the place where she kissed me, the spot tingling. Yes, I knew what all of these reactions meant very well. I sighed before turned to return to my work. Riku watched me silently.

"You were right," I said simply. A warm feeling filled my chest again and a goofy grin spread across my face. "I like her." Riku sighed, then smiled, then frowned.

"She'll be in danger. You know Xehanort will do anything to hurt us," Riku reminded me. This ignited a flame in my heart.

"I know. That's why I'm going to protect her. No matter what the cost."

* * *

_**Ok, so this was short. But I really wanted to write a chapter from Sora's point of view. After having Kairi realize how she feels in the last chapter, I wanted a little filler chapter to give you guys some insight into how Sora feels. **_

_**One thing I'd like to mention: Namine and Roxas are going to be in this story. I promise. I just need to figure out how I want to write them in. Namine will be back soon, though.**_

_**Again, I'd like to thank everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed. It really does mean a lot. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the others. :)**_


	7. Chapter 6

As I waited tables at Songbird one night in early December, my stomach started to feel queasy. I rubbed my tummy, my face scrunching up. I shrugged it off. It was probably nothing. As the night dragged on, however, the feeling only got worse. I began to get paranoid, constantly looking over my shoulder. I felt like I was in real danger. When a hand came to rest on my shoulder, I practically jumped out of my skin.

"Woah! Are you okay, sweetie? You look pale," Selphie asked, concern drowning her words. I gave her an un-convincing smile and nodded.

"Yeah, just feeling a little weird, that's all." I was shaking slightly. Something was wrong. I wrung my hands nervously, something normally only Namine did. That's when it hit me. Namine! Something must have happened. I ran into the kitchen, almost knocking Sora over as I pushed to get outside. I had to call her. I had to make sure she was okay.

"Hey! Kairi, slow down. Where's the fire?" he asked good-naturedly. I should've smiled—played it off—but I was too worried about my twin sister.

"Sora, I need to call my sister. Let go. Please," I begged, pulling against his grip. He tightened his hold on me.

"Kairi, calm down. What happened?" My frustration began to get the better of me. Since Namine and I were little, we'd always been able to tell what the other was feeling. However, I didn't have time to explain twin telepathy at the moment.

"I don't know, but _something_ must have! Don't ask me how I know, I just do."

Sora opened his mouth to argue with me when my cell phone began to ring. We both looked at the screen, looking at a picture of Namine in front of the art school she went to—her contact picture. After only a moment of hesitation, I answered.

"Hey," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. I knew that if I freaked out, Namine would only spaz out worse. I needed to keep her calm.

"Kairi? I need you…" she trailed off. A lump rose in my throat and I mentally kicked myself for ignoring my gut earlier.

"I know. I'll be there as soon as I can. Where are you?" I was already searching my apron for my keys. Upon remembering I'd left them in my purse, Sora pulled his out of his pocket. I nodded silently as I followed him out into the parking lot.

"Outside the café on 7th. Please hurry…" Namine broke into sobs as I climbed into Sora's old pick-up truck and buckled my seatbelt. My heart hurt as I listened to my sister cry. Someone had hurt her, and I was definitely going to get revenge. I stayed on the phone with Namine until we pulled into the little cafe. It being the middle of December, it had started to snow on the way there. I threw open the door before the truck had managed to slide to a stop on the now-icy roads. Getting to my sister was my only priority.

She was freezing. Snow had collected on top of her head and shoulders, but I wasn't sure whether she was shivering from the cold or fear. I pulled her to her feet, leading her to the warm cab of the truck. I placed her between me and Sora, hoping our body heat might begin to warm Namine up while also helping with the shock. She managed to lay her head in my lap as we drove, bawling as she told me her sad, yet familiar tale. A male coworker had made a move on her again, only this time, it was her manager. She had been respectful at first, but then he had gotten physical. Shaking with fear and anger, she had run away. By the time she was aware of her surroundings, she was half-way down main street and it was snowing. She hadn't had time to grab her coat.

Sora pulled up in back of the Songbird, leading us through the back door and up the stairs, to his and Riku's apartment. He silently went into the bathroom, ran a hot bath for Namine, and left. I helped Namine get into the tub to soak and sat with her for a little while, repeating my mantra of "everything's going to be all right." When she had finally stopped crying, I gathered her wet clothes and promised her that we'd find her a better job without so many shady people. She giggled shakily before smiling and thanking me. I searched the hall for the laundry room, but wound up in the kitchen, where Sora was standing over the hot stove.

"The washer and dryer are behind the sliding door in the hall, on the right. I pulled out some of Yuffie's clothes for her to wear, but if they don't fit she can borrow a pair of my sweat pants and a sweater. I've already called your parents and explained what happened. Due to the icy roads, we both agreed it would be better if you two stayed the night here. Yuffie said Namine can sleep in her room," he explained, gesturing to a pile of dry clothes sitting on the table in the kitchen. I turned to leave, but something stopped me.

"Thank you," I said quietly. Sora's kindness had brought tears to my eyes. Hearing my watery reply, Sora flipped around, a surprised look on his face.

"It's no problem! Really! Riku was the one who suggested you guys stay, and Yuffie's excited to have someone sleep over. Ah, I didn't mean to make you cry, Kairi. I'm sorry," he babbled, flustered words and heart-felt apologies falling from his lips. Seeing him then, my heart began to swell, and I smiled. Before I realized what I was doing, I'd walked across the kitchen and pulled him into my arms, my lips right by his ear.

"Thank you so much for helping my sister. You have no idea what it means to me." I tightened my grip on him, pulling him closer. He was the only thing anchoring me to the shore. Without Sora, I would have floated out into a sea of despair. His arms wrapped around my waist and I felt like I was home. I felt Sora chuckle and my cheeks heated up.

"You should probably get Namine's clothes into the wash and hand her that fresh pair. I'm sure she's tired of waiting for them."

I released Sora quickly, as if he'd been made of fire, grabbed the clothes, and rushed out of the room. How could I have held him so intimately? God, I was an idiot. On the other hand, he had held me, too. After I handed Namine the fresh clothes, I threw her old ones in the washer, watching them spin around in a sea of colors and suds. I had no idea what I was going to do next, but something told me I didn't have to figure it out on my own. I had friends to help me, now. This thought only rekindled the fire in my heart fueling my determination to help Sora and Riku. To stop Xehanort, no matter what he was planning. However, it also reminded me that I couldn't do it alone. Just as Sora had helped me rescue my sister, I needed help rescuing him. And I had an idea on where I was going to find it.

* * *

_**Ah! I'm so sorry this took so long, guys! I knew how I wanted to tie Namine into the story, but I didn't know how I was going to write this scene. I didn't want it to turn out bad, so it took me like, 2 weeks (or something like that. Not like I'm good at tracking time) of writing, deleting, and rewriting in my head to figure it out! For those of you who are wondering, Roxas is going to show up in the next couple of chapters. Thanks again to those of you who are reviewing, following, and favoriting. It really does help me get these chapters out faster and with better quality. Stay tuned for the next installment.**_


	8. Chapter 7

The sound of someone rummaging around in the kitchen was annoying me. Whoever it was seemed to be determined to slam every damn mug they put their hands on. I squeezed my eyes shut and curled up, pulling the comforter up over my head to drown out some of the noise and light. Making myself into a ball of warmth wasn't easy with the limited space I had on the couch, but I was managing. I was almost asleep when the kitchen annoyance decided he was completely fed up.

"Damn it, Sora! How many times have I told you to _rinse_ the dishes before putting them into the dishwasher? There are no clean mugs!"

"That might be because I wasn't able to _run_ the dishwasher last night, so _none_ of those dishes are clean. Try the cabinet," came the muffled reply.

"_Seri_ously? Why didn't you run the dishwasher last night? God, you forget _everything!_" A door flew open. Footsteps. A cabinet door being thrown open. Some shuffling. Multiple grunts and growls could be heard from both parties. My eyebrow started to twitch.

"I don't know what you hope to find in there. I already told you, all of the mugs are dirty." More rustling and clinking cups. My patience was almost gone. Slowly I began to drift back into slumber, until a very loud "Ah-ha!" exploded from the kitchen. A cup was slammed onto the counter.

"I _knew_ I'd find one—" That did it. I flung the blanket off of myself, shoot up into a sitting position.

"Would you two _shut up?_ Do you have _any _idea what time it is? _Some_ of us were up very late last night, and would like to get some sleep before starting a _very _long day, so if you _don't mind—_" My rant died in my throat, which immediately dried up as I looked at the two idiots in question for the first time. Both men were still in their pajamas, and were staring at me open-mouthed. From what I could see over the counter from my vantage point on the couch, Riku was wearing a tight-fitting, long-sleeved nightshirt, his hair pulled into a sloppy ponytail with his bangs messily covering his eyes. That wasn't what stopped me. What shut me up was the fact that Sora wasn't wearing a shirt at all. His brown, spiky hair was shooting out in all directions, and his blue eyes held a deer-in-the-headlights look. For the first time I saw that while he wasn't as buff as Riku, Sora was still in pretty good shape. His tanned chest was slender, but toned, and he had pretty broad shoulders. I was fascinated by how Sora could have the personality of a child, yet the body of a man. I was so lost in thought, I didn't realize I'd been staring.

"See something you like?" Riku teased, snapping me out of whatever trance I'd been in. My face burned and I averted my gaze, ashamed.

"Don't tease her, Riku. With how much you work out, any girl would stare. Seriously, do you even lift?" Sora retorted, giving Riku a quick up-down. Rolling his eyes, Riku pushed Sora toward the door he had originally come out of.

"You should probably go change before you traumatize the poor girl."

"Wha-?" Sora started before looking down and realizing he was still shirtless. "Sorry!" he called before disappearing into his bedroom. Riku sauntered over to me, leaning down so he was right next to my ear.

"I know it wasn't me you were staring at." He smirked as he raised himself and headed down the hall to his own room. My mouth opened and closed as I tried to think of a comeback, but I had nothing. He'd caught me red-handed and red-faced.

"Kairi…? What's going on…? Did something happen?" Namine asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Surprisingly enough, I was actually the morning person between the two of us. I attributed that to the fact that she was a light sleeper. She would drift in and out of consciousness all night long, where as I, on the other hand, could sleep through a bomb going off.

"Nah, nothing you need to worry about. Did you sleep okay?" I asked, already knowing the answer. There were bags under her eyes, and they were still puffy from crying. I was sure that she had probably had nightmares all night. She didn't really have a big issue with them normally, but when something happened she would be plagued with them relentlessly for days.

She sighed. "I'll be fine. I just need to get into the groove of things again. We need to thank Sora and Riku somehow. Why don't we make breakfast?" I grinned at the idea.

"I'll make the waffles!"

We were almost done when Yuffie stuck her head in, taking a huge breath.

"That smells awesome!" she cheered, grinning from ear to ear. "What's all this for, anyway?"

"We just wanted to thank you for helping us last night. I know it was an inconvenience for Riku and Sora," Namine answered sheepishly. Yuffie laughed.

"Ah, it was nothing! Don't worry about it! Inconvenience Riku any time you like!"

"Inconvenience _who_ any time they like?" Riku grunted, resting his chin on top of Yuffie's head. She giggled, elbowing him in the stomach.

"This big oaf who refuses to admit he actually _likes_ helping people," she retorted playfully. Riku only huffed and shoved her aside.

"Is that bacon I smell?" He questioned, moving more into the kitchen to see the meal we had prepared. "Wow, guys. This looks great," he commented, slightly surprised.

"Be careful, you never know what they slipped in there. There could be roofies," Sora muttered, appearing out of nowhere and looking suspiciously over Riku's shoulder at the bacon and waffles. I raised an eyebrow.

"Why on earth would we put _roofies_ in the _waffles_? You do know roofies go in drinks, right?" I countered. Sora shrugged.

"Well, you _did_ see me shirtless. It's natural for you to want another look," he teased, nudging me. My face burst into flames.

"I—it's not like I enjoyed the view!" I poked him in the gut. "Your abs are so flabby!" He gave me an indignant look.

"Flabby? _Flabby?_" Sora yanked his shirt up, giving me another eyeful. "I'll have you know I practice sword fighting _every day_. There isn't a speck of _flab _on me!"

Riku pulled Sora into a headlock, giving him a noogie. "You practice sword fighting _every day_, and yet you still have a horrible habit of dropping your guard. Master Yen Sid would be disappointed." Sora tried squirming his way out of Riku's grip, both men laughing, almost knocking a plate of eggs off the counter.

"Okay, if you guys are going to wrestle, don't do it in the kitchen!" I scolded, giggling. Both stopped and looked at me, looked at each other, then back at me, and blinked twice. "Oh no…No…No…!" I warned, sticking my hands up. Sora and Riku let go of each other, turning their attention to me. Before they could grab me, I took off, screaming "NO!" as I dashed into the living room. Before I could make it to the hall, Sora grabbed me, picking me up off the ground. Riku came from behind and cut us off, reaching his hands out as if to tickle me. I wriggled and kicked, giggling and begging for help from Yuffie and Namine, who watched from the kitchen with amused looks on their faces. Eventually Sora lost his balance, causing the two of us to topple to the floor. We laid there for a few minutes, our faces red and hot from laughing, and tried to catch our breath. I closed my eyes and let myself be carried by the feeling of sheer happiness that seemed to envelope the entire room with light. Laying there in Sora's arms, my sister and my friends laughing and joking with us, everything just felt right. Like, I had been born to be right where I was. I sighed and let myself relax farther into Sora's embrace, smiling peacefully. I felt him chuckle, and my head spun when he brought us upright again. Knowing everyone was staring at us, I reluctantly pulled myself from his strong hold. As my hands passed his, I felt him tighten his grip for just a moment, causing me to turn around. The intense look he had on his face sent shivers down my spine. I lifted my face, gravitating slowly toward his. Right before our lips touched, Yuffie came into the room.

"Guys! If you don't hurry up, you'll miss the food! Wait, what were you doing?" We stumbled away from each other, our faces red.

"Nothing!" I practically shouted, heading into the dining area. My heart was pounding and I felt light-headed. I stopped short of the corner, hesitating on whether I should look back or not, when I felt Sora's hand on my shoulder.

"Damn, we were interrupted," he pouted playfully. I glanced up at him just as he grinned down at me. "Well, there's always next time. Riku! Don't you dare eat all that bacon!"

All through breakfast, then later on, all I could think about was what Sora had said. "Next time." There was going to be a next time? My heart fluttered at the thought. Upon reaching my destination, I parked my car and let out a deep breath. I didn't have time to think about crushes and kissing. I had a job to do. I strutted into the building, my head held high, and approached the desk.

"I need to speak with Ansem, please."

* * *

**Ah-ha! So _that's _how she's going to bring Ansem the Wise into the story! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, guys, and I know this one is kind of a dud. I have been so blocked lately. At least you guys got sweet, sweet SoKai fluff this time. They'll get together soon, I promise. Namine is now going to be added to our already rather large cast of reoccurring characters, and Roxas won't be far behind her. Thanks so much for everyone who is following this story and isn't _too_ mad that I haven't updated in forever.**

**Also, I had a bit of an idea that I wanted to get y'all's opinion on. I was thinking of having an art contest for the story where you pick your favorite scene and draw it (whether it be in a comic, a single picture, what have you) and the winner gets to have a quest appearance in the story! I actually got the idea from SilverBloodAlchemist when she did a cover contest for her fanfic _Airship Grigori: Tales of Captain and Crew_, which is by far one of the best Soul Eater fanfics out there. I highly suggest you read it. But anyway, the difference between me and her is that she has actual artistic talent, and I have none. My main reason for doing this is I want to see how you guys portray the scenes I write. I'm Leafmist443 on Deviantart, or you can PM me here with entries. I'm excited to see what you guys come up with!**

**So that's all I got for this time, but I swear I will try and update faster, and that I will finish this story. I'm down and determined! _  
_**


	9. Chapter 8

"I need to speak to Ansem, please," I said, smiling brightly. The secretary looked up, about to dismiss me, until she realized who I was.

"Miss Swan! Of course! Right away!" Normally I would've amended her overly formal tone, but today I was in a bit of a hurry.

"Thank you." I looked around the waiting area thoughtfully. Ansem Bastion was the top researcher for my father, the mayor, and he was damn good at what he did. In the science community, he was known as Ansem the Wise. It struck me as a little odd that one of Xehanort's sons was named Ansem as well, which couldn't possibly have been a coincidence. That's how I knew Ansem had to know _something_ about Xehanort. The name was just too unique to have two in the same small town who were completely unconnected to each other.

"Thanks for waiting! You can head on back now," the secretary, whose name I couldn't seem to remember, told me with a big smile. I smiled back and headed into Ansem's lab. The moment I opened the door, a blast of cold air caressed my skin, making me shiver.

"Seriously, can't you turn up the heat a little? It's like the arctic in here!" I complained, pulling my sweater sleeves over my hands and hugging myself. Ansem didn't look up from the microscope he was peering into.

"What do you need, Kairi?" he asked monotonously, only giving me half of his attention.

"How did you know I wasn't Namine?" I retorted childishly, sitting on the stool next to him. Ansem raised an eyebrow and gave me an unamused look.

"Despite what everyone else here seems to think, you and your sister aren't that much alike. The only thing you seem to have in common is a face." He turned back to his work, reaching out his hand to ruffle my hair good-naturedly. "Plus, Namine would never complain about anything, unlike some princess I know." I shoved his hand away.

"I'm here on serious business, mister," I announced, using my "grown-up" voice. Ansem chuckled.

"What is it this time? Somebody push you down on the playground?" When I didn't respond, he finally looked up at me. The frown on my face startled him, and all the playfulness died from his eyes. "Did someone go after Namine again?"

"Well yes, but that's not exactly why I'm here."

"Who was it this time?"

"Ansem, seriously, that's not why I'm here—"

"Kairi, if someone did something to your sister, you know better than anyone it needs to be reported—"

"I know!" I shouted, getting frustrated. I was almost nineteen, and the man still treated me like a child. "Namine is a big girl, Ansem. She can take care of her problems on her own. We aren't six anymore. That's not why I'm here."

"Then what is it? I'm a very busy man, Kairi. I don't have time for your mysteries today."

"Who is Xehanort?" Ansem's eyes widened and he took a sharp intake of breath.

"Why do you want to know?" His eyes seemed to pierce mine, and I wanted nothing more than to look away. Somehow, I held his gaze.

"He's harassing my friends, who are trying to buy a bar from him. I'd like to know what his deal with them is." I tried desperately to keep my voice from shaking. Saying Ansem looked upset was a major understatement. He looked downright livid.

"Why do you think I know anything about it?" he snapped, causing me to recoil slightly. To my credit, I didn't avert my gaze.

"He has a son named Ansem. That isn't a common name, so I knew you had to have at least been close to him at one point."

Ansem heaved a heavy sigh. He contemplated his options for a moment before sighing again and gesturing toward his office.

"All right, I'll tell you. Have a seat." We sat on opposite sides of his desk, preparing ourselves for the conversation we were about to have. Ansem closed his eyes for a moment before spinning his tale. "Xehanort and I were friends back in college. It was at that time that he began buying up businesses. Not too long after we graduated, he owned half the town, but it was never good enough for him. His greed began to consume him. He wasn't going to be satisfied until he owned the entire town. Don't get that look, he doesn't want to be an elected official, he wants power. Power over the economy. If you control money, you can control the world. I'm guessing you've made friends with young Sora Skylark and Riku Lackland?" My eyes widened.

"How did you…?" I began, but he raised a hand to silence me.

"It's not a secret around here that Xehanort has it in for those boys. They're the only ones brave enough to stand up to him. Honestly, he's probably had a vendetta against them since they were children. They were two of the only people to never be afraid of him. And that scares him."

"Wait, wait, wait. _Xehanort's_ scared of _Sora and Riku_? That makes no sense. He could easily put them both out of business," I argued. Ansem shook his head.

"That would turn Sora and Riku into martyrs, and would give his business a bad reputation. He wouldn't risk everything just to bring two small fry down—not yet, anyway. He's worked too hard to lose now," Ansem reasoned, trying to reassure me. I guess my worry was showing on my face. I'd always been terrible at hiding my feelings.

A small _ping_ sound caught my attention, and I checked my phone. I had a text from Selphie.

_Where are you? You said you'd come pick me up so we could practice early today. You're late!_

I jumped from my seat.

"Oh my god, I _am _late!" I exclaimed, glancing at the time. "Thank you, Ansem! And I'll be careful, I promise! I'll come by and see you again soon." I called over my shoulder as I ran out the door. Ansem chuckled and shook his head as I left. I swung by Selphie's apartment, and we pulled up to the Songbird around thirty minutes later.

When we walked up to the back door, however, something obviously wasn't right. For starters, the back door was slightly ajar. Casting a quick glance at Selphie, who was already pulling out her cell phone, I pushed the door the rest of the way open. I sucked in a breath, shock speading through my entire body. The kitchen had been destroyed. Pots and pans were all over the floor, and food had been slung around. It took me a few seconds process what had happened. When I did, fear made my blood run cold.

"Namine…" I breathed. Before Selphie could stop me, I took off into the building, sprinting as fast as I could over the debris. I had no idea if the vandals were still inside the store or if they were dangerous, but none of that mattered. I had to get to my sister. As I followed the path of destruction, tears began to fill my eyes. It led right up to Sora and Riku's apartment.

I reached the door leading inside—which was wide open—and cautiously stepped in. I heard whimpering from somewhere around the corner, and after some exploring found Namine and Yuffie hiding together in the laundry room/closet. Both were visibly shaking and Yuffie was crying. By how damp Namine's shirt was, I had to guess that she had put Yuffie's head to her chest to muffle the sound of her cries.

"Are they gone…? Where's Riku… Is he okay? Where's Sora…?" she mumbled, her questions stringing together. My blood turned to ice and quit flowing. Sora. In my urgency to find Namine, I'd forgotten that he and Riku would still be here. A fear unlike anything I'd ever felt gripped my heart, squeezing it painfully. I took a deep breath to steady myself and turned back to the girls.

"I'm not sure, Yuffie. You guys stay here. I'm going to find Riku and Sora. Namine, keep Yuffie quiet until the police get here, okay?" Namine gave me a silent nod before returning to her duty of soothing the teenager. I lifted myself from my knees and followed the trail of debris to Sora's bedroom. This time, the door was shut. My heart beat painfully in my chest, so loud I was sure everyone in the building could hear it. I clamped my eyes shut, and gripped the door knob tightly. When I was sure I could handle whatever was behind the door, I turned the knob and pushed it open.

"Sora…?" I called softly, praying he was hiding somewhere unharmed. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

Sora was propped up against his bed, his head drooped to the side. He held a sword in one hand, and was bleeding profusely. Horror seeped onto my face and my heart stopped.

"_SORA!_" I screamed, rushing to his side. Summoning what little first aid training I remembered from Athletic Training senior year, I stripped off my sweater and ripped it, tying it around the wounds I could see. His shirt was soaked, so I mustered up all of my strength and ripped that, too. The chest I'd been admiring that morning was marred with cuts and bruises, and I could tell that at least one of his ribs was broken. As I fussed over him, Sora lifted his head.

"Kairi?" he muttered, slightly confused. "What are you…?" I lifted my fingertips to his lips.

"Don't talk. You're badly hurt. The police are on their way. It's gonna be okay…" I muttered. I kept repeating that same phrase over and over again, _It's gonna be okay…It's gonna be okay…It's gonna be okay…_like a mantra. For a moment, I wondered who I was trying to convince more, me or him. Sora glanced around, becoming frantic.

"Kairi, it's not safe here. You need to get Yuffie and Namine and…oh god. Yuffie and Namine. Are they okay? You need to grab them and get out of here!" he urged, trying to stop me from treating his wounds any further.

"I'm not leaving without you!" I yelled, looking him directly in the eyes. I turned back to my work, but he kept coaxing me, getting more and more desperate.

"Kairi, please. It's dangerous. You need to get out of here. Xehanort's goons might still be here. _Please_, Kairi." He grabbed my hands again. "I'm not asking anymore! Get out of here! If anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd-!" he broke off as a coughing fit racked his body.

At this point, the door swung open again. EMTs filled the room, and I shifted to give them room. Somehow I just couldn't bring myself to let go of Sora's hand. I had to be there, right beside him. It took two men literally dragging me to get me away from him. When they carried him out of the room on a stretcher, I pushed past the EMTs to follow him. I saw with relief that Riku had shown up, and was accompanying them to take Sora to the hospital. Police officers approached me, trying to get information.

"Miss, when did you arrive on the scene?" one officer, a burly black man with a bald head, questioned. I didn't take my eyes off the door.

"I need to get to the hospital," I mumbled, staring vacantly. His partner, a skinny Italian man, tried this time.

"Miss, we need to know if you saw anything of interest," he said, putting himself between me and the door. Finally, I glanced up at him.

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know, but at the hospital. I have to get to the hospital." Both officers looked at each other for a moment.

"Fine. All of you, let's go. We want all of you together, just in case whoever was here comes back."

I hardly remember the ride in the police car. There were lights and sirens, and we were definitely exceeding the speed limit, but that's all I registered. All I could think about was being at Sora's side again. I wanted—no, _needed_—to know that he was okay. In the waiting room, the police started their interrogation, though I'm not sure how many questions I answered aloud and how many I answered in my head. Everything seemed muffled and far away, as if I were underwater.

_In the Skylark/Lackland apartment, two women were found in a closet. Do you know what their relation is, or what they were doing there?_

They are Riku's kid-cousin Yuffie, and my twin sister Namine. Yuffie lives with Sora and Riku, and Namine and I stayed the night last night.

_What is your relation to Mr. Skylark and Mr. Lackland?_

They're my best friends. I work at the bar they own.

_Mr. Skylark was found with numerous lacerations and a sword in his hand. Do you know where he got it?_

Sora practices sword fighting. I think Riku said he used to compete when he was younger. I know he has a license to own it.

The questions seemed to go on forever, and eventually veered away from Sora and Riku and began to focus on me. I vaguely wondered if they were trying to keep me from freaking out. That wouldn't be a problem, seeing as I was having trouble feeling anything at all. Colors had begun to fade, and everything was too bright. I sat limp in my waiting room chair, feeling like I had lost my heart—my very being. I felt like an empty shell. It wasn't until the doctor came back into the room that I moved.

"Miss Swan? You can go see him now, if you want to come with me." I was at the doctor's side in seconds. I'd never moved so fast in my life. All I could think about was seeing Sora. Was he okay? Was he awake? Who had attacked him? Suddenly, my expression darkened. Whoever did this to Sora was going to pay, and they were going to suffer.

"We expect your boyfriend to make a full recovery, so you don't have to worry." I visibly sank in relief. The doctor laughed a little. "He must be important to you."

"Yeah, more than anyone," I said without thinking. I gasped slightly, realizing what I had just said. More than anything? Did he really mean that much to me? The answer was obvious: yes. Nobody meant more to me than Sora. When did I start feeling this strongly for him? I tried to clear my head, but it just wasn't working this time. As we reached Sora's room, I steeled myself, preparing for the worst. The sound of voices caught my attention. Two people were arguing. I exchanged a quick look with the doctor before he opened the door, revealing Sora and Riku almost at each other's throats. Sora was holding a pudding cup in one hand and was shoving Riku away with the other. The complete and total ridiculousness of the situation caused real, true relief to travel through me. Before I knew it, laughter was bubbling up and spilling out from between my lips.

I launched myself across the room and wrapped one arm around Sora and one around Riku, pulling us together. Tears began to flow from my eyes as I held them and laughed, just so damn happy that they were both okay enough to act like children. Everyone stared at me in shock, but I didn't care. It didn't matter that everyone thought I was crazy. Sora was going to be all right.

I wound up staying in Sora's room for the rest of the day, even after he reported to the police who had attacked him. Even after my sister and our other friends had gone home. Even after Riku went back to the Songbird to take pictures to take to the insurance company. That night, after Sora had fallen asleep, I sat in one of the chairs and kept watch. I felt fiercely protective of him for some reason, and I just couldn't get myself to calm down enough to sleep. The nurses had offered me a cot in another room, but I'd refused it. I didn't want to be away from Sora.

I glanced down at his sleeping face. He looked so much like a child, all of the worry and pain and anger gone from his features. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world. A smile tugged at my lips, and I moved the hair from his face, caressing his cheek softly. My heart felt warm and full, almost like it was too big for my chest, and the room seemed to soften. I sighed and removed my hand, wondering what it was about this man that made me feel this way. At that moment, I connected all the dots. The air completely escaped my lungs and my eyes widened. It was so obvious. The reason why I'd reacted so intensely to him being hurt. The reason I thought about him so frequently. The reason that I was so comfortable in his arms. It all made sense. I closed my eyes, took a breath, and accepted what I knew I could no longer deny:

I was in love with Sora.

* * *

**Ah! Two updates in one night! This particular scene popped into my head, and I just had to write it down. Aww! Kairi realized she's in love with Sora! Yay! Now that I'm back in my groove for this story, I'm hoping to grind more chapters out. However, classes have started back up at the university I attend, so they may not be all that often or nearly as long as this one, but I will do my very best! I'd love to hear about what you guys think, and if anyone's interested in the art contest. Now, off to bed with me!**


	10. Chapter 9

I spent the next few days traveling between the hospital and school. All of the nurses now knew my name, and would chat me up as I headed into Sora's room. I ignored their giggles and leading questions as I greeted my favorite person.

"Hey, gorgeous," Sora flirted, looking at me through heavy-lidded eyes. I laughed and let my backpack slide off my shoulder. I tucked myself into my corner and pulled out my textbook, beginning the reading my instructor had assigned. I heard a huff and looked up to see Sora pouting at me.

"What, Mr. Grumpy Gills?" I teased, raising an eyebrow good-naturedly. Sora's lip jutted out a little farther.

"You're too far away…" he whined, reaching his arms out for me. I rolled my eyes and continued my reading. "Kairi…!"

"Fine!" I said, throwing my hands up in exasperation. Sora smiled in victory as I slid my chair over to his bedside and rearranged myself. I had just found the paragraph I'd been on when I heard a small whimper. I glanced up again. Sora was holding his hand out to me, looking sheepish. I considered his hand for a moment before sighing again and taking it in my own. I was again rewarded with a smile, along with some unwanted butterflies. Paying attention to my reading was going to be difficult. Just when I got used to the warm pressure of Sora's hand in mine and found my place again, the door swung open.

"Mom wants to know why you aren't answering every single one of her millions of calls," the doorway intruder demanded sarcastically. I practically jumped out of my skin and yanked my hand out of Sora's. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" the stranger asked curiously. My eyes glued themselves to my book as I tried to hide the blush that had crept across my face. Sora clicked his tongue.

"Man, Roxas, haven't you learned to _knock_ yet?" he asked in slight annoyance. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"You weren't doing anything that constituted knocking." Concern flashed across his eyes. "Who is this?" I smiled, stood, and reached out my hand.

"I'm Kairi Swan. It's very nice to meet you." Roxas shook my extended hand and smiled back.

"I'm Roxas, Sora's younger and more mature brother. The pleasure's all mine." It was so weird. Roxas looked like a younger, blond Sora. There were differences. Roxas was about an inch taller, had shorter hair, and his body was a bit more defined. I swear, though, when he ran his hand through his hair and sighed, I could have been looking at Sora's clone. He turned back to Sora, concern leaking into his blue eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, but they won't let me go home!" Sora complained, reverting back to his default persona. Roxas gave him a sly look.

"Been giving the nurses hell?"

Sora smiled conspiratorially. "You know it."

Roxas laughed and shook his head. "Man, my transfer finally goes through and you get your ass kicked by mobsters. I knew there was a reason I felt the need to move here. You need somebody to watch your stupid ass." Sora looked taken aback.

"I don't need you for that, Roxas. That's why I've got Kairi," he grinned, gesturing toward me. Roxas looked me up and down before giving Sora a sideways glance.

"Oh, yeah. I'm sure she's watching a whole lot more than your ass, dude." My face exploded with heat.

"It—It's not—what are you—who—?" I babbled. I thought I was going to die from embarrassment. "I'll have you know, I've never—"

"Chill out, I was just kidding!" Roxas laughed, putting his hands up in surrender. He turned back to Sora. "Where'd you pick her up?"

"You wouldn't believe it," Sora began to gush, "She magically appeared just as Selphie was trying to quit—"

"_Again?_ Man, when are you gonna let her walk out?"

"The moment she actually wants to leave. Anyway. So, Selphie's out the door of the Songbird, ready to walk out on us _again_—"

"Speaking of the Songbird, I have to go!" I announced, partially because I was late, but mostly because I wanted to interrupt Sora again. What? It was fun. "It was very nice to meet you, and I hope to see you around." I turned back to Sora, leaned down, and kissed his temple. "I'll be back later, after I've had a shower and washed my clothes. Don't give the nurses too hard of a time while I'm gone!" I called over my shoulder as I ran out. Both men just watched me go, slack-jawed. I didn't see what their problem was, it's not like I'd said anything…

Oh my god. The reason they were staring at me. I'd just kissed Sora. Right there in front of his brother. And I'd acted like it was nothing. For the third or fourth time in an hour (I'd lost count), my face heated up. I dropped my bag and fell against the wall, slumping slightly. It was then that I realized I was about to be late for work. Gathering my things, I ran to my car, hauling as much ass as I could without warranting a speeding ticket. Upon arriving at the bar, I pushed past everyone, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. My heart was racing, and I was almost positive my face was still red. Avoiding everyone was my best bet. Yep, the less questions, the better. I had almost made it to my dressing room when a large object blocked my path.

"So, you kissed my best friend, huh?" Riku remarked, smirking down at me. I cursed his major height advantage. It made him sort of intimidating, not that I would ever tell him that.

"How do you even know that?" I demanded, begging my stomach to refrain from practicing gymnastics. Riku huffed arrogantly.

"Just got a call from Sora. 'She kissed me, dude! Can you believe it? I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!'" he imitated Sora, clasping his hands together and putting a dreamy look on his face.

"He did not say that," I retorted, trying to push past him. He put himself farther in my way, arrogance leaving his face only to be replaced with what could only be described as brotherly affection.

"You did it without thinking, didn't you?" He sighed. "I knew that you had it bad, but not this bad." He looked up, meeting my eyes. "You love him, don't you."

I focused on the wall, trying to hide my massive embarrassment. "So what if I do?" I countered darkly. Riku placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Then you should tell him, because believe me, he loves you, too." My shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Riku, we've known each other for what; two, three months at the most? There's no way we could be in love."

"You've also been together for between four and eight hours every single day. That's a lot of time to get to know someone, Kairi, and from what I've heard of you and Sora's conversations, you two know each other pretty well." I gave him an annoyed look.

"Riku, I just don't know—"

"Fine, I'll test you," he retorted. I blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"I said I'll test you. I'll ask you questions about Sora, and you answer them. Simple." I crossed my arms, glancing past him to the dressing room. He shifted his weight, getting comfortable. He added a yawn for good measure.

"You're not going to move until I agree to this, are you?" I asked, deadpan.

"Nope."

I heaved a heavy sigh, letting my shoulders slump. "And I thought Sora was the child between you two. Fine, ask away." Riku grinned in victory, causing a sour look to cross my face.

"All right, question one: what is…Sora's favorite food?"

"Pickles," I answered immediately. Everyone knew that. Sora could often be seen with paperwork in one hand, pickle in the other. He was crazy for them.

"Okay, that was a warm-up. Question two: What is Sora's…favorite TV show?"

"Scrubs."

"Favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Why?"

I pursed my lips before continuing, knowing Riku knew all of this already. "It's calming. He likes the fact that different shades can make you feel different things. It's like a spectrum of emotion all in one color."

"What was the first Disney movie he ever saw?"

"Alice in Wonderland." Riku gave me a side-long glance, contemplating his next question.

"What color are Sora's hair and eyes?" Oh, this was too easy.

"Brown, with blond low-lights that only show up in the sun. His eyes are bright blue, like the sky in the middle of summer." I puffed out my chest, ready for whatever question came next. Riku stared at me like I'd suddenly sprouted a second head. My chest deflated. "What?" I demanded, annoyed again.

He snapped out of his trance. Shaking his head slightly, he chuckled. "You are in love with him. Anyone one else would have just answered 'brown' and 'blue'. Your answer was downright poetic. Those are things you only notice when you truly cherish someone." He gave me a warm smile, lifting my chin to meet his gaze. "You want to know how he describes you?"

I hesitated, not sure if I was truly ready to hear it. Riku shoved off from the wall, starting down the hall. Just before he passed me, he stopped and rested his hand on my shoulder.

"He says you have 'silky' auburn hair that glows like a dying ember in the sunlight, and eyes that look like the ocean on a clear day. See? Poetic." With that, he continued down the hall, leaving me with my thoughts. I rushed into my dressing room, shutting the door and leaning against it. My hands shook and my heart fluttered. Did he really think that? Happiness filled my chest and an uncontrollable smile spread across my face. That smile stayed glued there the entire time I changed. A pep had entered my step and I practically skipped to the stage. Shuffling through the sheet music, my smile spread even further as I eyed the perfect song for my mood. Taking my place at the mike, I beamed out at the crowd. I was practically glowing. I winked at the band, and the guitarist plucked out an upbeat country tune.

"_Am I dreamin'? Or Stupid? I think I've been hit by Cupid, but no one needs to know right now,_" I sang cheerfully. My body swayed as I continued the Shania Twain song, letting all of the happiness and nervousness and sheer elation that I was feeling billow out of me in waves. I noticed a lot of women in the audience singing along, including Aerith, who hardly ever sang. She normally swayed from side to side and smiled. I looked directly over the crowd at Riku as I sang the next line. "_I'll tell him someday, some way, somehow. But I'm gonna keep it a secret for now."_ It seemed like a promise between the two of us. Riku laughed and shook his head, smiling back at me.

In that moment, I realized that no matter what happened, everything would be okay as long as we were all together. Yeah, the bar had been trashed. But Riku went to his insurance company and got the place back up and running within a few days. So Namine was unemployed. I'd overheard Ansem mention that he wanted an assistant, and I knew exactly who he was going to call. My blood boiled a little as I thought of Sora in the hospital. But even that wasn't going to get me down, as he'd be home tomorrow. I lifted my head high and finished my song, putting it all out there, daring Xehanort to try and ruin this moment. As the music faded, I closed my eyes and relished in the feeling crashing through the room like a tidal wave. As I continued to sing, my audience laughed and sang along, swaying with the current shooting from one person to another. This was why Xehanort would never be able to put the Songbird out of business: we were a family—us and the customers—and families stick together. We weren't alone, and with the help of our friends, we could overcome anything.

* * *

**This chapter ended on a happy note, so you guys know what that means...angst is on the way! Just kidding. I have no idea how the next chapter will end. And see? Roxas is in the story now. I tried to keep him as in-character as possible, but I do have to take some artistic liberties. Also, Riku was out of character. Ah well.**

**And oh my god, you guys, Kairi kissed Sora! Yeah, it was only on the temple, but it surprised the hell out of me. I had no idea she was going to do that. It was a spur of the moment addition. I love when my characters like to reveal things at the last minute.**

**Other notes:**

**Pickles are one of my favorites. My grandma actually bought me a Christmas Pickle tree ornament this year.**

**Scrubs is one of the best shows ever created. It mixes humor and drama perfectly. If you haven't seen it, go watch it! It's on Netflix.**

**Sora's favorite color is a reference to chapter 3, and yes I did have to go look it up to remember what I said. Snaps for continuity nods and not being lazy!**

**Fun fact (and I only remember this because I just went and replayed Kingdom Hearts Final Mix a few weeks ago): Wonderland is the first Disney world Sora, Donald, and Goofy visit.**

**Okay, so I don't know much about love, but I do know that when you care very deeply for someone, who start to notice little details about them. Also, shout out to Monster-in-Law for giving me the idea of her going into detail.**

**"clear blue, like the sky on a summer day" Get it? Like the SKY on a summer day? Sora's name means SKY in Japanese. I'm so punny.**

**"your eyes look like the ocean on a clear day" See what I did there? Kairi's name means OCEAN in Japanese. There I go again, getting all punny on y'all and shit.**

**The song is "No One Needs to Know" by Shania Twain, and I highly suggest y'all listen to it. I love that song.**

**Also, I almost wrote "ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind", but I felt that I'd been cheesy enough for this chapter. Maybe next time, Lilo and Stitch!**

**Finally, thank you to Sepha Fanfics, Rivendell101, Sammygirl14, and Prometheus16 for reviewing, and Wildgirl404 and codeninjathe for favoriting and following. I appreciate it so much and love hearing back from you guys! Stay tuned.**


	11. Chapter 10

I bounced around the bar, straightening menus and wiping down tables I'd cleaned six previous times. Nervous energy buzzed through the air around me and I shook like a Chihuahua. My stomach turned and flipped, but none of that mattered. Sora was coming home today.

"You missed a spot," Riku drawled, walking over to me. I jumped, flipping around to inspect the glossy wooden surface.

"Did I? Where?" I started scrubbing again, and Riku reached his hand out to stop me.

"I was kidding. Seriously, are you that nervous? I thought you said you'd know you liked Sora for around a month or so, how is knowing you're in love with him any different?" Riku questioned, a mask of confusion covering his normally neutral face. I turned away.

"That's not it…" I trailed off.

"Then why…?" Riku began, a small gasp cutting him off. He smirked at me. "You never went back to the hospital, did you?"

I glared up at him, sizing him up, before my shoulders slumped in defeat. "I just…couldn't face him. Not after what I did…" I sighed, tipping my head to the side, shrugging. "I got busy with school and work. What are you gonna do, you know?" Riku gave me an incredulous look.

"Kairi, that was three days ago! Are you telling me you haven't spoken to Sora since then? Not once?

"I told you, I got busy!" I snapped defensively.

"Didn't he try to call you?" Riku crossed his arms.

"My phone died—no really, it did!" I pulled my new phone out of my pocket. "I dropped it in the fountain at school—don't ask."

He sighed and shook his head. "Sora's a worrier, you know. He's gonna wanna make sure you're okay."

The front door opened and my witty comeback died on my lips. Speak of the devil, there was Sora, flanked by his brother, Roxas. He was laughing, looking around the bar with affectionate eyes. My face heated up when those beautiful eyes fell on me. Embarrassed, I shoved the menu I'd been holding into Riku's chest, claimed I needed to get ready for tonight, and rushed off to my dressing room. I faintly heard Sora call my name, but I didn't turn around. I felt so stupid, having kissed him so nonchalantly. With the butterfly rave going on in me, I couldn't decide if I was going to take off and fly or throw up the burger I'd had for lunch. I just couldn't focus with Sora around.

The whole night went on like that. If I was taking someone's order and had to pass him to get to the kitchen, I would take the long way around. Whenever I was on stage, I deliberately didn't look at him, especially when other girls were talking to him. The whirlwind of emotions I was feeling was almost too much—I just couldn't handle it. By the end of the night, Sora was looking flustered and frustrated and I could bet I felt just as bad as he looked. Staying away from your favorite person is hard.

"He's pissed, you know," Riku remarked, appearing out of nowhere. I screamed and grabbed my chest to keep my heart from escaping.

"What?" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.

"Sora. He's pissed. You shouldn't ignore him like that. Out of all the people he wanted to see coming home from the hospital, you were the one he wanted to see the most." Just as I was about to heatedly explain myself Sora found me, and Riku was right: he was livid.

He wasted no time looking around, his furious blue eyes meeting mine from across the room. Without a word, he shoved his bag into Roxas's hand and made a beeline for me.

"Told you so," Riku muttered into my ear before diving out of the line of fire. I reached out to grab him but Sora put himself between us, sealing off my exit. I gulped under his fierce gaze.

"What happened?" Sora demanded, his voice shaking slightly. It was the first time I'd ever seen him like this. "You never came back to the hospital, and when I called your phone was off. Look, I get that what happened was embarrassing, but—!" I clamped my hands over his mouth, stopping him mid-sentence and practically knocking up both over.

"Can we talk about this later?" I begged, flushing darkly. He reached up and pulled my hand away from his face.

"No, we need to talk about this now. You've been avoiding me all night. Why? Is there something you need to tell me?" I noticed Yuffie begin to round the corner, but someone yanked her back. Great, we were being watched. When I turned my attention back to Sora, we was waiting for my explanation, tapping his foot impatiently. The pout on his face, his arms crossed, foot tapping…he looked so adorable. Like a child getting angry at a grown up. I lifted my hand to my mouth, hiding my growing smile. Deep breaths. Get ahold of yourself.

"I didn't mean to upset you or anything," I began carefully. I stepped lightly over eggshells, not wanting to say anything I'd regret later. "I dropped my phone in the fountain at school a few days ago, and only got the new one today. And I got busy, and wasn't able to come back to the hospital. You were a Communications major, you understand," I coaxed. Sora looked entirely unconvinced. I began wringing my hands before wiping them on my pants. They were sweaty and gross, and Sora's piercing gaze was only making it worse. He opened his mouth, but his argument was cut short by Riku's voice coming from down the hall.

"Sora, we have a very special guest. I require your assistance."

Sora heaved a huge sigh. Turning back to me, he said, "We aren't done talking about this." Almost as an afterthought, he leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead before letting his hand slide off my shoulder and walking down the hall.

"What was that for?" I called, one hand in a fist at my chest, holding the other up to the tingling area on my face.

"Payback," he smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets with a proud look on his face, his head held high. All I could do was stand there in shock. The moment the door shut, the girls were on me like ugly on an ape.

"Oh my god! He just kissed you! That's so cute!" they cooed, pawing at me. I let myself be jostled and closed my eyes, a huge smile tugging at my lips. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried hard to keep my inner girly-girl in, but she broke through my barriers, letting out a victorious squeal. The four of us jumped around, trying to keep out giddy excitement down to a dull roar, when a shout from the main area of the bar shattered our happy aura.

"Like hell!" we heard Sora bellow. My blood ran cold and I shivered. It wasn't very often that Sora got truly angry, but when he did, you better hope to god you weren't the one to piss him off. I ripped myself away from Yuffie, Selphie, and Aerith and threw open the door. Before me stood Sora, Riku, and I man I didn't know. He had tan skin, white hair that fell down to the middle of his back, and his eyes were a deep orange. He wore a black and white suit, a maroon tie hanging around his neck. He sniffed at me, smiling cruelly. Sora glanced between us uncomprehendingly for a moment before a look of pure horror crossed his face.

"Ansem, she has nothing to do with this," he almost pleaded. Ansem's orange eyes traveled up and down my body slowly, very much like Sephiroth's had. I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling dirty.

"You must be Sora's new pet," he purred, his voice slow and deep. He took a step toward me, and to my credit, I didn't back down. "You're a pretty one." He reached a hand out to me before lowering it and turning back to Sora. "You two wouldn't want anything…_bad _to happen to this innocent, young girl, would you? Give in. No amount of sheer force of will from a weak heart can save everyone."

Riku took a step toward us, a heated reply at the ready, but Sora stopped him.

"The heart may be weak, and sometimes it may even give in. But I've learned that deep down, there's a light that never goes out," Sora stated passionately, his eyes blazing. Ansem took a step back.

"Believe what you want, you will never win. I only pray you don't live to regret this decision." He cast one more look at me before making his dramatic exit. The moment he was out the door, my knees began to give out. I caught myself on one of the tables, only to be scooped into Sora's arms. He held me tight, as if trying to shield me from the world and all of the evil things in it. I wrapped him into a warm embrace of my own, comforting him as best I could.

"It's gonna be okay," I soothed, tightening my grip a little. Sora nodded before taking a deep breath and releasing me. I rested my hand on his cheek for a moment before going to collect my things from the dressing room. I bid my friends goodbye and walked out the door to head home. I knew that as long as I had my friends by my side, I could do anything. Nothing could ever tear us apart.

* * *

**Another chapter out! I'm on a roll, man! So, I've been taking this week long, all day math class over at the university I attend and it is kicking my butt. Math is my worst subject, but this class is worth 3 credits, and that's all I need for my graduation requirement. Which means after Friday, I never have to take another icky math class again! But anyway, writing is a way to unwind after a very long day, so I've decided to put out a new chapter every day after I finish my homework. This way I don't have math-induced nightmares. Haha. Anyway, so that's why I've been updating so much this week. Unfortunately it'll probably slow down after Friday, but I'll try and keep up the quick work!**

**Notes:**

**My Sora's sexy, admit it. "Payback." Ah god!**

**Yes, I did in fact add in one of the most famous quotes in Kingdom Hearts history. The occasion called for it.**

**Finally, thank you to codeninjathe, MadlyPurple, Suenyo Deeberteedo, and Jamesfrickinbond for reviewing, favoriting, and following. I just have to say, you guys have the best usernames ever. Just saying. Now I'm off the complete the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 11

The next few weeks went off without a hitch, though I did feel like someone was watching me. It was creepy. Wherever I went, I would see people in dark clothing dodging behind corners and into shops out of the corner of my eye. I would shake it off every time, convinced it was probably my imagination, but that didn't stop me from locking the door whenever I was home alone and sleeping with my TV on.

Coming and going from the Songbird was definitely an adventure every night. I would run from my car to the bar and back, not daring to look over my shoulder until I reached my vehicle. I was constantly on edge, and was convinced someone was going to jump out and grab me. I had just come to the conclusion that I was just paranoid when the inevitable happened after my shift ended.

When I arrived at my car that night, I saw a man with spiky red hair leaning against it.

"Can I help you?" I asked suspiciously. He was wearing a black trench coat with a hood and black boots. He looked to be about 24-25 years old, which didn't make me feel any better. He pushed himself off my car door.

"The name's Axel, got it memorized?" he replied arrogantly, jabbing his thumb at himself. "You're Kairi, right? I'm gonna need you to come with me."

I took a step back, contemplating my chances of getting back to the bar before he could catch me. Reading my mind, Axel wriggled his finger at me. Clicking his tongue, he said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He offered me a gloved hand. "Let's do this the easy way. Just come quietly, and—"

I was already gone. I took off across the parking lot as fast as my legs would carry me. Rounding the corner, I bumped into someone and crashed to the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" I said, rubbing my butt. The stranger reached down to help me up, and I graciously accepted. "Please, you have to help me. There's this weird guy after me and—" My heart stopped when I realized that the hand I was holding was cloaked in a black glove. Shaking, I raised my eyes to see a black, hooded trench coat. The man holding my hand removed his hood to reveal long blue hair, sullen eyes, and a jagged, x-shaped facial scar. I gasped, pulling my hand away from him, and falling back into someone else. Flipping around, a man with an eye patch and a long salt and pepper ponytail grabbed my shoulders. I squirmed and kicked, opening my mouth and taking a deep breath only to have a damp rag cover it before I could make a sound. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and the world faded to black. A bored look and a cruel smile were the last things I saw before I sank into oblivion.

When I woke up, my head ached and the room seemed to be spinning the opposite direction of the Earth. I reached up and cradled my pounding head and curled up into a ball. That's when I realized that I was lying on a bed. Opening my eyes a little, I saw that my bed was surrounded by something white and see-through. The comforter beneath me was made of silk, which was cool under my sickly-sensitive skin. Someone opened the door and I shot up, causing my head to spin. I groaned as it fell into my hands.

"Are you all right? Do you need something?" a dull voice asked. I peeked through my fingers to see the blue-haired man from the night before.

"Where have you taken me?" I demanded. The hoarseness of my voice made me sound a lot less intimidating than I'd wanted to. Also, breaking into a coughing fit doesn't help you strike fear into the hearts of your enemies, either.

The man just stared at me. Feeling my eyebrow begin to twitch, I took a deep breath before asking again, more polite this time.

"Castle Oblivion," he replied, completely deadpan. My eyes widened.

"Castle Oblivion? Isn't that in Twilight Town? How the hell did we get three hours away from…what time is it?" Why was I in Twilight Town? It didn't make any sense.

"Eight in the morning."

"Please, why am I here?" I asked, my eyes filling with fear. The man sniffed at me.

"You are the fire that feeds Sora's anger. And it seems like Riku cares a great deal for you as well. Xemnas is sure that they will do anything to get you back." The entire time he was talking my heart was breaking. This had been exactly what Sora had been worried about. He knew they were going to use me against him.

"I won't let you get away with this. I won't let you hurt them," I growled dangerously. The man looked unimpressed. Wordlessly he turned to leave. "Wait!" I called, realizing something. He turned to look at me. "What's your name? You never told me."

"Saix," he mumbled, shut the door behind him, and locked it.

I ran over to it, jiggling the knob to verify what I already knew. Looking around, I checked both windows. They were unlocked, but heavy metal bars had been welded to them to keep anyone from escaping. I spent the next half hour looking around the room for some way to escape. I checked the closets, air vents, bathroom, windows…everywhere. I checked all of my pockets only to realize they'd taken my cellphone. I collapsed onto the bed, giving up on my search. I pulled one of the silk pillows to my chest and buried my face in it, not giving those monsters the satisfaction of hearing me cry. After what felt like hours of crying, I let myself fall into a deep slumber, swearing to myself that I would not let them see me this weak ever again. No matter what happened, I wasn't going to let them see me cry. I _would _hold my head high, and I _would not _cry for help. I would get out of this somehow, and they weren't going to break me. Never.

* * *

**I told you guys. Angst. Anyway, I know this chapter is short, but I had to write it. I had no idea this was going to happen until I finished the last chapter, and I figured it was a good way to introduce the Organization members. Next chapter will be from Sora's point of view again, so get ready for that.**

**FYI, I have been googling these quotes, so they are accurate. Yay me!  
**

**Well, I'm off to bed. Night, yall.**


End file.
